DR Congo national football team

The Congolese Association Football Federation was founded in 1919 when the country was not independent. The team played their first game in 1948 as Belgian Congo against Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. The team recorded a 3–2 victory at home. DR Congo has been FIFA affiliated since 1962 and has been a member of CAF since 1963. The team's first official match was on 11 April 1963, against Mauritania in the L'Amitié Tournament played in Dakar, Senegal. DR Congo won the match 6–0.[4] The national team appeared in the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 1965.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo had its first international success at the 1968 African Cup of Nations held in Ethiopia, beating Ghana 1–0 in the final. The team's biggest ever win came on 22 November 1969 when they recorded a 10–1 home victory against Zambia. Although a handful of Congolese players were playing in Europe (particularly Belgium) during these years, foreign-based players were seldom recalled for international duty; a rare exception was Julien Kialunda who represented Zaire (as the country was by then known) at the 1972 African Cup of Nations while playing for Anderlecht.

The second continental title came at the 1974 African Cup of Nations in Egypt. The Leopards recorded a 2–1 victory against Guinea, another 2–1 victory against rivals Congo and a 4–1 victory against Mauritius. These results carried Zaire through to the semi-finals where they beat hosts Egypt 3–2. In the final, Zaire drew with Zambia 2–2. Therefore, the match was replayed two days later, where Zaire won the game 2–0. Zaire player Ndaye Mulamba was top scorer with nine goals, which remains a record for the tournament. After this, the team returned to Zaire on the Presidential plane, lent to them by Mobutu Sese Seko.

Zaire were the first Sub-Saharan African team to participate in a World Cup, qualifying for the 1974 tournament in place of the 1970 participant Morocco, whom they defeated in the decisive qualifier 3–0 in Kinshasa.[5] Such was the desire to foster an identity of Zaire as a global player that Mobutu paid for advertising hoardings at the World Cup to display messages such as ‘Zaire-Peace’ and ‘Go to Zaire’.[6] At the tournament itself, Zaire did not manage to score any goals and lost all of its games, but gave credible performances against Scotland and Brazil. However, their 9–0 loss against Yugoslavia remains one of the worst World Cup defeats. A bizarre moment came in the match versus Brazil; facing a free-kick 25 yards out, defender Mwepu Ilunga, upon hearing the referee blow his whistle, ran out of the Zaire wall and kicked the ball upfield, for which he received a yellow card. This was voted the 17th greatest World Cup moment in a Channel 4 poll.[7] Ilunga has stated that he was quite aware of the rules and was hoping to convince the referee to send him off. The intended red card would have been a protest against his country's authorities, who were alleged to be depriving the players of their earnings.[8] Many contemporary commentators instead held it to be an example of African football's "naïvety and indiscipline".[9]

Zaire versus Brazil in the 1974 World Cup

Zaire versus Scotland in 1974 World Cup

After winning the 1974 African Cup of Nations and participating in the 1974 World Cup, the team was eliminated in the first round of the 1976 African Cup of Nations after recording a draw and two losses in the group stage. Morocco went on to win the tournament. From 1978 to 1986, the country did not qualify for the African Cup of Nations, while not participating in qualification for the 1978 World Cup and 1986 World Cup. In the 1988 African Cup of Nations, Zaire finished last in their group despite having two draws.

From 1992 to 1996, Zaire, reached three consecutive African Cup of Nations quarter-finals. In 1992 and 1994, they were beaten by Nigeria, and in 1996 they were beaten by Ghana. In 1997, the country returned to its former name of Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the national team was re-branded as the Simbas, a nickname that stuck for the next nine years.[10] DR Congo played their first game on 8 June 1997 in Pointe-Noire which ended in a 1–0 loss to the Republic of the Congo. At the 1998 African Cup of Nations, DR Congo, led by Louis Watunda, surprisingly took third place, beating Cameroon in the quarter-finals and hosts Burkina Faso 4–1 on penalties in their last match after scoring three late goals to tie the encounter 4–4.

At the 2000 African Cup of Nations, the team finished third in their group, and in 2002 were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Senegal. Then, in 2004, DR Congo were eliminated after three straight defeats in the group stages. In 2006, led by Claude Le Roy, having finished second in the group behind Cameroon, the Congolese were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Egypt 4–1.

DR Congo were drawn in group 10 for qualifications for the 2008 African Cup of Nations, along with Libya, Namibia and Ethiopia. Before the last match day, the Congolese led the group, but they drew 1–1 with Libya in their final match while Namibia beat Ethiopia 3–2. This sent Namibia through to the Finals, while the Leopards were eliminated. DR Congo also failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. In 2009, DR Congo won the 2009 African Championship of Nations, a competition reserved to players in domestic leagues, a tournament they would again win in 2016. DR Congo reached the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa but were knocked out in the group stages after drawing all three matches.

In the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, DR Congo again drew all three group matches but this time finished second in the group behind Tunisia, and therefore advanced to the quarter-finals to play their rivals Republic of Congo, a match in which the Leopards came from two goals down to win 4–2. However, they were knocked out by the Ivory Coast 3–1 in the semi-finals. They ended up finishing third, beating Equatorial Guinea on penalties, after the third place match finished 0–0 in regulation time.

DR Congo under Ibengé improved radically and had an outstanding performance for many decades in a World Cup qualification. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, DR Congo was grouped with Libya, Tunisia and Guinea. DR Congo managed an outstanding performance, beating Libya and Guinea home and away, but missed the chance after losing 1–2 to eventual World Cup qualifier Tunisia in Tunis and drew 2–2 at home to the same opponent.

The following players have been selected for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.[13]

Caps and goals as of 10 February 2024, after match against South Africa. [14]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Lionel Mpasi	(1994-08-01) 1 August 1994	15	0	Rodez
16	1GK	Dimitry Bertaud	(1998-06-06) 6 June 1998	2	0	Montpellier
21	1GK	Baggio Siadi	(1997-07-21) 21 July 1997	4	0	Mazembe
2	2DF	Henoc Inonga Baka	(1993-11-01) 1 November 1993	14	0	Simba
4	2DF	Brian Bayeye	(2000-06-30) 30 June 2000	3	0	Ascoli
5	2DF	Dylan Batubinsika	(1996-02-15) 15 February 1996	8	0	Saint-Étienne
12	2DF	Joris Kayembe	(1994-08-08) 8 August 1994	5	0	Genk
15	2DF	Rocky Bushiri	(1999-11-30) 30 November 1999	2	0	Hibernian
22	2DF	Chancel Mbemba (captain)	(1994-08-08) 8 August 1994	83	6	Marseille
24	2DF	Gédéon Kalulu	(1997-08-29) 29 August 1997	14	0	Lorient
26	2DF	Arthur Masuaku	(1993-11-07) 7 November 1993	25	3	Beşiktaş
6	3MF	Aaron Tshibola	(1995-01-25) 25 January 1995	13	1	Hatta
7	3MF	Grady Diangana	(1998-04-19) 19 April 1998	5	0	West Bromwich Albion
8	3MF	Samuel Moutoussamy	(1996-08-12) 12 August 1996	32	0	Nantes
10	3MF	Théo Bongonda	(1995-11-20) 20 November 1995	18	3	Spartak Moscow
14	3MF	Gaël Kakuta	(1991-06-21) 21 June 1991	24	3	Amiens
18	3MF	Charles Pickel	(1997-05-15) 15 May 1997	12	0	Cremonese
25	3MF	Omenuke Mfulu	(1994-03-20) 20 March 1994	7	0	Las Palmas
11	4FW	Silas Katompa Mvumpa	(1998-10-06) 6 October 1998	14	1	VfB Stuttgart
13	4FW	Meschak Elia	(1997-08-06) 6 August 1997	41	8	Young Boys
17	4FW	Cédric Bakambu	(1991-04-11) 11 April 1991	54	16	Real Betis
19	4FW	Fiston Mayele	(1994-06-24) 24 June 1994	13	2	Pyramids
20	4FW	Yoane Wissa	(1996-09-03) 3 September 1996	24	5	Brentford
23	4FW	Simon Banza	(1996-08-13) 13 August 1996	8	0	Braga

The following players have also been called up for DR Congo in the last twelve months and are still eligible to represent.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Esdras Kabamba	(1999-06-24) 24 June 1999	0	0	Bravos do Maquis	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Ngonda Muzinga	(1994-12-31) 31 December 1994	24	0	Riga	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Merveille Bokadi	(1996-05-21) 21 May 1996	22	1	Standard Liège	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Dieumerci Amale	(1998-10-17) 17 October 1998	18	0	Difaâ El Jadidi	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Jordan Ikoko	(1994-02-03) 3 February 1994	9	0	Pafos	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Vital N'Simba	(1993-07-08) 8 July 1993	2	0	Bordeaux	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Arsène Zola	(1996-02-23) 23 February 1996	1	0	Wydad Casablanca	2023 AFCON PRE
DF	Axel Tuanzebe	(1997-11-14) 14 November 1997	0	0	Ipswich Town	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Neeskens Kebano	(1992-03-10) 10 March 1992	35	6	Al Jazira	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Chadrac Akolo	(1995-04-01) 1 April 1995	23	2	St. Gallen	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Edo Kayembe	(1998-08-03) 3 August 1998	18	1	Watford	2023 AFCON PRE INJ
MF	Makabi Lilepo	(1997-07-27) 27 July 1997	7	0	Valenciennes	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	William Balikwisha	(1999-05-12) 12 May 1999	4	0	Standard Liège	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu	(1994-03-22) 22 March 1994	3	0	Luton Town	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Arnaud Lusamba	(1997-01-04) 4 January 1997	2	0	Pendikspor	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Jonathan Okita	(1996-10-05) 5 October 1996	2	0	Zürich	2023 AFCON PRE
MF	Mukoko Tonombe	(1996-01-16) 16 January 1996	8	0	Mazembe	v.  Gabon, 18 June 2023
FW	Jonathan Bolingi	(1994-06-30) 30 June 1994	34	9	Vojvodina	2023 AFCON PRE
FW	Ben Malango	(1993-11-10) 10 November 1993	21	6	Qatar SC	2023 AFCON PRE
FW	Jackson Muleka	(1999-10-04) 4 October 1999	14	1	Beşiktaş	2023 AFCON PRE
FW	Aldo Kalulu	(1996-01-21) 21 January 1996	5	0	Partizan	2023 AFCON PRE
FW	Gaëtan Laura	(1995-08-06) 6 August 1995	0	0	Samsunspor	2023 AFCON PRE
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.